Valve will introduce a new compatibility rating system for SteamOS devices, expanding on the Steam Deck Verified program that helps gamers understand which games exactly work on the company's portable console.
The new rating system will cover all SteamOS-based devices, except for the Steam Deck, which will remain under the previous system. In particular, the company mentions the upcoming release of the Lenovo Legion Go S, which will run on this OS.
Compatibility ratings will be determined based on the results of testing games on the Steam Deck, which will allow you to quickly determine whether the game and its accompanying software will work on SteamOS. The test will take into account the functionality of the game itself, its launch through the launcher, as well as support for anti-cheat systems.
If a game and all related software are supported, it will receive a compatibility mark. Otherwise, it will be considered unsupported on SteamOS. However, Valve notes that this testing will not include performance test results, as this may vary depending on each individual device running the company's operating system.
The company expects that over 18,000 games on Steam will receive the compatibility mark immediately after launch. Developers will not have to make any changes - if a game is already compatible with Steam Deck, it will automatically be considered compatible with SteamOS. Games that have not yet been tested will be tested in the usual order based on user interest.